Saudi King Orders Appointment of Faisal bin Salman as Special Adviser, Salman bin Sultan as Governor of Madinah Region

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. (SPA)
Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. (SPA)
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Saudi King Orders Appointment of Faisal bin Salman as Special Adviser, Salman bin Sultan as Governor of Madinah Region

Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. (SPA)
Saudi King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. (SPA)

The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, issued royal orders on Tuesday appointing Prince Faisal bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as the Special Advisor to the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques at the rank of minister, SPA said.
Also, Prince Salman bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud was appointed as the Governor of Madinah Region at the rank of minister.
Other royal orders were issued and include:
-Relieving Prince Badr bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz Al Saud from his post as the Deputy Governor of Makkah Region and appointing Prince Saud bin Mishaal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as the Deputy Governor of Makkah Region at the excellent rank.
-Relieving Prince Ahmed bin Fahd bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud from his post as the Deputy Governor of the Eastern Region and appointing Prince Saud bin Bandar bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as the Deputy Governor of the Eastern Region at the excellent rank.
-Appointing Prince Khalid bin Saud bin Abdullah bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as the Deputy Governor of the Tabuk Region at the excellent rank.
-Appointing Prince Khalid bin Sattam bin Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as the Deputy Governor of the Asir Region at the excellent rank.
-Appointing Prince Mutaib bin Mishaal bin Badr bin Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud as the Deputy Governor of Al-Jouf Region at the excellent rank.
-Relieving Prince Mansour bin Muhammad bin Saad Al-Thani Al Abdulrahman Al Saud from his post as Governor of Hafar Al-Batin and appointing Prince Abdulrahman bin Abdullah bin Faisal bin Turki bin Farhan Al Saud as Governor of Hafar Al-Batin at the excellent rank.

- Appointing Dr. Hisham bin Abdulrahman bin Falih Al-Falih as Assistant Minister of Interior at the excellent rank.
- Appointing Dr. Khalid bin Mohammed bin Abdullah Al-Battal as Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior at the excellent rank.
-Appointing Khalid bin Farid bin Abdulrahman Hadrawi as an advisor at the Royal Court, at the excellent rank.
-Appointing Eng. Khalil bin Ibrahim bin Abdullah bin Salamah as Deputy Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources for Industry Affairs, at the excellent rank.
-Appointing Musaed bin Abdulaziz Al-Daood as Mayor of Makkah Region at the excellent rank.
- Appointing Eng. Abdullah bin Mahdi bin Ali Jali as Mayor of Asir region at the excellent rank.
-Appointing Dr. Abdullah bin Ahmed bin Abdullah Al-Maghlouth as Assistant Minister of Media at the excellent rank.
-Appointing Dr. Yousef bin Sayyah bin Nazzal Al-Biyali as Deputy Head of General Intelligence for Intelligence Affairs at the excellent rank.
-Appointing Zuhair bin Muhammad bin Abdullah Al-Zouman as Assistant to the President of Human Rights Commission at the excellent rank.



New KSrelief Aid Convoy Crosses Rafah to Deliver Food Baskets to Gaza

The latest KSrelief convoy was carrying food baskets for the people of Gaza. (SPA)
The latest KSrelief convoy was carrying food baskets for the people of Gaza. (SPA)
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New KSrelief Aid Convoy Crosses Rafah to Deliver Food Baskets to Gaza

The latest KSrelief convoy was carrying food baskets for the people of Gaza. (SPA)
The latest KSrelief convoy was carrying food baskets for the people of Gaza. (SPA)

A new humanitarian aid convoy from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) crossed the Rafah border into Gaza on Friday with essential food baskets for Palestinians affected by the ongoing crisis, as part of the Saudi fundraising campaign to aid the Palestinian people.

The Saudi Center for Culture and Heritage, KSrelief’s implementing partner, has established several new camps in Al-Qarara area of southern Gaza and Al-Mawasi area of Khan Younis in preparation for winter.

Through these efforts, KSrelief aims to alleviate the severe suffering caused by the dire living conditions in Gaza, ensuring that vital food and shelter reach those in the most vulnerable areas.


Joint Military 'Gulf Shield Exercise 2026' Concludes in Saudi Arabia

Flags of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at an event (AFP)
Flags of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at an event (AFP)
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Joint Military 'Gulf Shield Exercise 2026' Concludes in Saudi Arabia

Flags of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at an event (AFP)
Flags of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries at an event (AFP)

The joint military "Gulf Shield Exercise 2026" concluded in Saudi Arabia on Friday, with the participation of the air forces and air-defense forces of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, alongside the GCC Unified Military Command, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The exercise was conducted as part of ongoing efforts to strengthen regional defense cooperation and enhance combat readiness.

Its maneuvers included advanced operational scenarios featuring simulations of multidimensional air and missile threats, joint air maneuvers, and integrated field exercises, with a focus on improving operational integration, strengthening command-and-control systems, and enhancing operational efficiency within a joint operational environment.
The exercise seeks to develop qualitative military capabilities, bolster combat readiness to confront current, emerging, and future threats, and entrench the concepts of collective defense and flexible deterrence, thereby contributing to the region's security and stability.

Gulf Shield Exercise 2026 is regarded as one of the key pillars of military cooperation among GCC countries, reflecting ongoing efforts to enhance defense integration and strengthen the capacity to respond to regional and international challenges.

At the conclusion of the exercise, the participating forces carried out a joint aerial display that demonstrated a high level of harmony and operational integration, as well as their ability to plan and execute in accordance with unified operational concepts and advanced professional standards.


Saudi Arabia Expresses Deep Regret over Damage to Qatari Embassy in Kyiv

 Smoke rises in the city after Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 9, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in the city after Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 9, 2026. (Reuters)
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Saudi Arabia Expresses Deep Regret over Damage to Qatari Embassy in Kyiv

 Smoke rises in the city after Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 9, 2026. (Reuters)
Smoke rises in the city after Russian drone and missile strikes, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Kyiv, Ukraine January 9, 2026. (Reuters)

The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed on Saturday the Kingdom’s deep regret over the damage sustained by the Qatari Embassy in the Ukrainian capital, Kyiv, as a result of recent shelling.

The ministry stressed the need to protect diplomatic missions and their personnel in line with the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations.

The ministry reiterated the Kingdom's support for all diplomatic efforts aimed at resolving the Russian-Ukrainian crisis through peaceful means.